The son of a former Nenagh AFC player played a key role in New Zealand’s participation in the World Cup.

Keegan Kelly recently won the Golden Boot at the Under-19 Oceania Championship, qualifying New Zealand for next year’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile.

He also scored a goal for New Zealand’s U23 team, helping them qualify for the Olympic Games, but was not selected for the final squad.

Keegan is the son of David Kelly, who captained Nenagh AFC when they won the Munster Shield in the 1990s. David emigrated to Australia where he met and married a New Zealander. They moved there and had three sons, one of whom, Keegan, plays international football for New Zealand.

Keegan has also secured a sports scholarship to Denver University in the United States of America, where he will study sports physiotherapy.

He currently plays soccer for Flatirons Rush in the USA.

His grandfather is John Kelly, who formerly owned the Miners Rest pub in Silver Street, Nenagh, and his grandmother is Mary Kelly of Shamrock Court.